Clamping mechanism



{N0 MM) F JOHNSON ULAMPING MECHANISM.

No. 509,129. Patented Nov. 21,1893

W/ TNESSES,

//\/ VEN 717/;

% BY M ia sion.

UNITED ST T S PATENT Orrrca.

FERDINAND JOHNSON, OF NEW LONDON, PENNSYLVANIA.

CLAMPING MECHANISM.

SPECIFICATION forming part lof'Letters Patent No. 509,129, datedNovember 21, 1893.

Application filed March 18, 1893. Serial No. 466.624. (No model.)

To all whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that I, FERDINAND JOHNSON, a citizen of the United States,residing in New London township, in the county of Chester and State ofPennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Olamping Mechanisms; and I do hereby declare the following to be asufficiently full, clear, and exact description thereof as to enableothers skilled in the art to make and use the said invention.

This invention relates to clamps for fastening upon objects havingparallel sides or nearly parallel sides such as bars, shafts, tubes,ropes and cables and has for its objects to receive motion therefrom,impart motion thereto, or to support, or procure support from suchobjects.

To secure these desiderata this invention consists of a clamp formed oftwo interlocking parts, which, when assembled, embrace the object towhich they are applied and two or more eccentric wedges, and means offorcing said wedges into converging spaces, in a direction transverse tothe length of the object to which the clamp is applied. Such clamps areuseful in making connections or attachments to shafts, ropes and cables,and pump rods for the transmission of power, and in constructingscaffolds and in permanent structures of metal work.

The construction and operation of this invention are hereinafter fullydescribed and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

Referring to the drawings, Figure 1 shows an end view of a clampembodying this invention, as applied to a cylindric shaft; Fig. 2 a likeview, as applied to a wire cable; Fig. 3 a like View, as applied to atube. Fig. 4 shows a lengthwise section of a duplex form of theinvention, applicable to the union of revolving shafts as a coupling forpower transmis- Figs. 5, 6, 7, and 8 are detached views of parts of theinvention. Figs. 9 and 10 are modified forms of the part of the devicefor operating and securing the eccentric wedges.

1 represents the bar or other object to which the clamp is applied.

2 and 3 are grooved shells having interlocking hooks 4 and 5 by whichthey engage each other. The groove in the clamp 2 is of such size andform as to fit on the object 1, or if not of such size, a bushing orliner may be applied to adapt it to fit as indicated at 6 in Fig. 2. Thegroove 7, in the clamp 3, is made eccentric to that in the clamp 2; inthe eccentric groove there are introduced eccentric segmental wedges 8,the inner sides of which are an approximate fit to the body 1, and theouter sides to the groove 7. When the eccentric segmental wedges areintroduced their thicker edges 9 should be close to each other.

The wedges 8 are tightened by forcingthem apart, into the convergingpart of the crescent shaped space, in the grooves between the body 1 andclamp 3. The forcing of the wedges 8 apart to tighten the clamp isaccomplished by means of a tapering pointed screw 10, screwed throughthe clamp 3 as shown in Fig. 1, or by means of a tapering key 11, asshown in Fig. 2; the edges of the key 11, and the thicker edges of thewedges 8, opposed to the key 11 being helical in form.

As shown in Fig. 3 two keys 12 and 13 are used, the parallel sides ofwhich press against the thick edges of the wedges 8, and the helicalsides of the keys 12 and 13 fit against each other; the efiect offorcing the wedges 8 into the converging spaces between the object 1 andthe clamps 3, is the same although the substitution of screws and wedgeschanges the form of this part.

, The form in Fig. 4, in lengthwise section, is simply two pairs ofwedges 8, in the opposite ends of clamps 2 and 3 so that each pair ofwedges can be tightened independently of the other, to adapt them toshafts of difieringdiametral dimensions.

The clamps may have formed on them projections, or other parts adaptedto mechanical use, as for instance brackets to support scaffolds orframe work, pulleys or gear wheels to transmit rotative motion andpower, or they may be fitted to engage sprocket wheels, or to propelloads as in elevators, or cable transmission of power, or as collars torestrict endwise motion of shafts or arbors in machinery. The clampingaction is the same in all cases.

The wedges 8, 8, may have lips 14 formed on the ends as shown in Fig.10, which preverging space between such object and the interior of theclamp, in combination with wedges adapted to fit and be guided in suchspace, and means for forcing said Wedges r 5 apart and therebycompressing and clamping the inclosed object, substantially as setforth.

FERDINAND JOHNSON.

Witnesses:

A. MCCORMICK, ED. E. BUTTE.

